The Young Ones
by Jenefur
Summary: "Her whole world had burned down around her. And there was Korra, floating above it all"


Jinora didn't know what to do.

Everything was gone. The airbending training courtyard, the White Lotus Sentry look out posts, her house—- everything.

Jinora inched up from her position on the ground, her eyes clenching closed as she felt resistance from her muscles. She was lying in front of her now desecrated home, her frame arranged in front of her younger siblings. To her left, she could see her mother lying next to her, face covered in ash. In front of her was her father, displayed out as though he tired to block something from hitting her family. Both of them were unconscious.

Her head was killing her; as she inched up, she reached up and touched a spot near her forehead. She felt a large bump and when she moved her hand from her face, she could see that her fingers were covered in soot.

She couldn't remember how she got it; she couldn't remember how she got out of her room. But as Jinora raised her head and looked up at the sight above her, she whole-heartedly wished that she could.

Above her and her family, hovering in the air, was Korra. She wasn't moving; she wasn't talking, or bending, and she hardly seemed to even be breathing. If it weren't for the waterbender attire she had come to associate her with, Jinora wouldn't have thought this was Korra at all. Everything about Korra was still: her figure, her stance, her very being motionless as she hovered just above Jinora's head.

Her eyes were stark white. Jinora noticed that they seemed to glow, almost blindingly so.

Her whole world had burned down around her. And there was Korra, floating above it all.

Jinora pushed herself up into a crouching position, her arms shaking from the pressure. She glanced behind her at Ikki and Meelo; they were unconscious as well and though they both looked relatively unharmed, Jinora could see that neither of them would be able to help her.

She was alone, surrounded by charred ashes and unrest Avatar.

_She's too young for this._

When Jinora was 8, she asked Gran-gran if she was ever scared when traveling with Grandfather around the world.

"Of course," her Gran-gran had replied, her blue eyes twinkling as she gazed down at her. "But I knew that it was the thing necessary to do. Sometimes, even when we are frightened, we have to make choices that aren't easy. But often times, it is those choices that turn out to be the most rewarding."

Jinora is 11; the only heroes she's heard about were in stories from books with magic castles and far off lands. But as she rose shakily to her feet, she realized she had to try.

"K-Korra", she called about hesitantly, her voice shaking slightly.

But Korra did not move and stayed floating in the air, her white eyes staring blankly at nothing.

"Korra, you can come down now" Jinora called out, her voice steadier now. As she stood up and approached the floating avatar, Jinora felt her knees start to tremble.

"Korra" Jinora called, this time reaching up to touch one of Korra's hands that hung stagnantly on her side.

Suddenly, it was as if something in Korra jolted. Her head turned sharply in Jinora's direction, white eyes narrowing, her right hand suddenly covered in fire.

Jinora felt the very air around her freeze as she stared up into Korra's glowing white eyes. She'd never seen her so angry.

But Jinora didn't stop, edging even closer to the Avatar, grasping Korra's unlit hand tighter. Jinora's trembling knees were now beginning to shake violently.

"Korra please" Jinora called out, desperately trying to reach out to her. "It's me. It's Jinora"

But Korra still did not seem to hear her and was raising her fire-encased arm as though to knock her down.

"Korra, everything's ok now. " Jinora felt her legs start to give out, but she held on tighter to Korra's hand, desperately trying to get to her.

"We have to wake up everyone, we have to make sure Mom and Dad and everyone else is ok" Jinora saw Korra's hand rise higher as her white eyes narrowed even further.

"Please Korra!" Jinora was yelling now, using both her hands to grasp Korra's free one. As she spoke, she felt tears build up in to corner of her eyes. "We have to help them! We have to—" Tears were flowing fiercely down Jinora's face now, as she felt her knees begin to buckle. "We have to help them! And I…I don't know what to do…"

She looked up at Korra's face and for brief second, she swore she saw a flicker of blue.

Finally, after bearing the pressure, Jinora felt her knees give out. Jinora closed her eyes and waited, but just before she hit the ground, a pair of arms caught her.

Jinora opened her eyes, looked up, and there was Korra, _blue-eyed_ Korra. Korra looked down at her, her clear blue eyes filled with both concern and confusion.

"Jinora?" Korra said, her head titling slightly "What's going—" Korra looked up and Jinora felt her eyes begin to close. She suddenly felt very tired.

Just before Jinora felt herself fall into the abyss of sleep, the pair of arms that were holding her up, encased her whole body. Jinora opened her eyes and felt Korra's shaking arms grasp around her tightly. She felt cascading wetness on the side of her face: Korra was crying.

"I'm sorry" Korra whispered, her arms crushing Jinora tightly against her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"

Jinora is 11. She's too young for this. But as she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the Avatar, she knew that, even at 17, Korra was too young for this too.

* * *

AN: Everyone writes about the boys bringing Korra out of the Avatar State. I like the idea that its one of the kids. This particular scene would take place the first time Korra attempts to enter the spirit world, with things not going exactly as planned.


End file.
